How to Compare Car Insurance Quotes

Purchasing car insurance can be intimidating. Not only are you agreeing to pay a large sum of money either in a lump sum or in payments over a period of six months or a year, but you’re also providing yourself protection in the case of catastrophe. Quotes from different agencies can also carry very different costs depending on how you adjust any of the long lists of coverages. At Wilshire Law Firm we understand how stressful this process can be, so here are some tips that will help you find the best company and coverage for your needs.

Collect quotes from several insurers to compare

The approach that may appear to be the simplest and easiest is to get a quote from the most well-known companies or the first company that appears in your Google search. However, not all insurance companies advertise themselves online. Another method of research is to ask friends and family for recommendations. They have personal experience with the company they buy from and can share any insights from when they purchased insurance.

In general, gathering several different quotes from several different companies will help you learn about the different types of coverages and how they affect cost. Identify 3 to 5 companies that you could purchase insurance from. Figure out what the maximum you’ll spend and the minimum amount of coverage you need is. Use this information to obtain quotes from each of the companies you’ve targeted. You can get a quote either by entering your information online, such as your car make and model and driving history, or by calling the company and providing them with the same information.

Don’t just choose the cheapest

Now that you’ve gathered multiple quotes, you have to decide which one provides you with the most value for the money your spending. Initially, choosing the cheapest may seem like the best option because it will save you the most money. However, there are other criteria to consider. After all, the purpose of insurance is to protect you in the case of unforeseen and/or catastrophic events, so you should make sure that any quote includes all of the protections that you may need:

Liability

Bodily

Property

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist (Bodily and Property)

Collision

Comprehensive

Medical

Each of these protections cover different causes and results of accidents. For instance, if your vehicle were to skid on water into a guardrail and you didn’t purchase comprehensive, your insurance may not cover the incident. Similarly, without Uninsured Motorist coverage, if you are in an accident with a driver who is uninsured, you will not be covered—and since the other driver isn’t either, you’ll have to be all the resultant fees yourself.

You should also read the fine print to avoid any potentially troubling limitations such as:

Dates and deadlines for filing claims

Mileage caps

The Right of Appraisal Clause

Additional fees

By doing so you may find that a rate that seems great is actually far too limiting for you to purchase. For instance, if a policy has a mileage cap, it may not be worth it for you to purchase it as you may want to use your vehicle for more than commuting to and from work.

Compare deductible versus insurance rates

While you’re reading the protections and scouring the fine print, make sure you look at the high-level relationship between your deductible and insurance rate as well. Generally, deductibles range from $250 to $1,500 and have an inverse relationship with your insurance rate. In other words, the lower your deductible, the higher your insurance rate will be and vice versa. Often, deductibles are quoted in increments, so you can check how much your rate increases or decreases with each increment.

Look for the extras and add-ons

Some insurances companies offer extras for their customers such as:

Roadside assistance

Windshield coverage

Vanishing deductibles

Uninsured motorist coverage

Rental car insurance

Funeral or accidental death insurance

Personal injury protection (PIP)

Knowing what extras each quote contains can help you decide which policy to purchase when the rates are extremely similar.

Insurance Matters Most in the Times You Can’t Anticipate

Researching and purchasing car insurance may seem like an unnecessary hassle…until a car accident happens and you file a claim. Then, you can begin to try to remedy the wrong that has been done to you and avoid financial and medical catastrophe. The best way to protect yourself in those situations, of course, is to hire a personal injury attorney. Wilshire Law Firm is available to consult on your case for free. You can call us at 1-800-522-7274 at any time of day on any day of the week.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

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